Automatic wrapper control for packaging machines



March 27, 1928. 1,664,048

F. R. scHMlTT AUTOMATIC WRAPiER CONTROL FOB PACKAGING KACHINES Filed Aug; 12f 192s 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M INVE T0 was. 2 M

"ATTORNEY March 27, 1928. 1,664,048'

' 1 F. R. SCHMITT AUTOMATIC WRAPPER CONTROL FOR PACKAGING MACHINES Filed Aug. 12. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \f INVENTOR a 1 Mat/M Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK R. SCHMITT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO AMERICAN MACHINE AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC WRAPPER CONTROL FOR PACKAGING MACHINES.-

Application filed August-12, 1926. Serial No. 128,717.

This invention relates to an automatic wrapper control for packaging machines,

particularly for those of the type wherein the wrappers are cut from a long strip of paper. and the. articles to be wrapped are advanced by a conveyor which normally spaces them equidistantly as it advances them step by step to the position where the article and wrapper are assembled. The main object of the invention is the production of a device of this general character in which the paper feeding is automatically stopped when a break occurs in the regularity of article feeding, so that when no article is advanced to assembling position no wrapper will be advanced .thei'eto. although the machine runs on. This effects a considerable saving in paper and in output, for when paper is fed to assembling position as ln-retofol'e and no article is there to be wrapped, the Wrapper is crumpled up and lost and the machinemust be stopped to clear it away. With this and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a device constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a detail of the eccentrically mounted paper feed roller, showing the latter in incapacitated and in rehabilitated positions; and Fig. 4 is a sectional detail View of one of the studs and its mount.

Generally speaking each article, while on its way to the position where it is assembled with a wrapper, is caused to pass under a feeler which is so mounted that in its lower position, when not resting on a passing article, it actuates a tripper which causes the pull-off rollers of the wrapper feeding devices to separate, thus incapacitating said devices and stopping paper feeding; but in its upper position, whenlifted by a passing paper towards a position where it is to be assembled with articles to be wrapped mechanism for advancing a'succession of articles to said position, and means having a movable controlling feeler in the path of the articles and operative to automatically incapacitate said devices when a break occurs in said succession and to rehabilitate the same immediately afterward. In the bestconstructions contemplated, the paper feeding devices draw the wrapping material from a roll and deliver it in a vertical chute towards which the articles to be wrapped are moved. These devices, mechanisms'and parts may be widely varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the specific structure selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the a roller 13, the rollers 12 and 13 forming the pull-ofi' unit of the paper feed. A guide funnel 14 then directs the paper strip past; the ledger plate 15 into a vertical chute l6; and a knife 17, which is pivoted on a bolt 18 in the ledger plate and is moved back and forth by the cam-actuated rod 19, cuts the paper, after a length sufiicient for one package has passed into the chute 16. The; knife 17 is held in tension against the ledger plate 15 by a spring 20. The chute 16 forms a part of the wrapping device, the article itself, in being pushed through a transverse opening provided in the chute, doubling up the paper strip, thus forming the first fold of the wrapper about the article.

I Theguide roller 10 runs loose on a shaft 21 which is supported in the frame 4. The guide roller 11 is eccentrically mounted on pivots 22 supported by bearings 23 slidably carried in an arm 24. Springs 25 press the bearings 23 towards the guide roller 10 and ter can make a strai ht out.

hold the guide roller 11 in contact with the guide roller 10; but the bearings 23 can be moved against the action of the springs 25, thereby bringing the guide roller 11 out of engagement with the guide roller 10 when it is desired to lead the paper from a new roll.

The pull-off 'roller 12 is mounted on a.

shaft 27 which is supported in arms 28 ,"and the shaft 27 carries a drivin gear 29 meshing with a gear 30 mounte on a shaft 31 carried by an arm 32. The gear 30 meshes with a gear 33 mounted 'on a shaft 34 which is supported in a'bearing arm 35. On the shaft 34 is also mounted a gear 36 which is driven through a gear 37 from a sprocket wheel 38, the latter being connected by means of a chain 39 with the main drive of the packaging machine, not shown. The gear 37 and sprocketwheel 38 are coupled together and run free on the shaft 21, on which is pivoted a bearing arm 35 adjustable by means of a slotted arm 40 which is held in position by a bolt 41 carried by a stationary arm 42. To the shaft 21 is fastened an .arm 43 connected through a rod 44 to an adjustable crank 45, the latter being adjustable in the slide 46 attached to a cam 47 mounted on the main shaft 48 of the wrapping machine.

By the motion imparted to the arm 43, by the crank 45, the feed roller supporting arms are moved up and down, as indicated by arrows in Fig. l, the up motion being equal and opposite to the paper movement, so that, during the up stroke, the paper Stands still relative to the knife and the lat- (Jnthe down stroke, the motion of the arms 28 is added to the driving motion of the paper feed, so that the paper strip isfed into the chute 16 at double the speed of paper travel around the feed or pull-off rollers. The position of the crank 45 in the slide 46 determines the throw of the arms 28, which is adjusted to conform with the length of wrapper to be cut for each package, within certain limits. In order to alter the length of wrapper for a different sized package, it is necessary to exchange the gear-'29 correspondingly and to adjust the arm 40 so as to put the new gear into mesh with the gear 30. Curved guides 49,"attached to the guide funnel 14 and assin upwards through grooves provided for t is purpose in the pull-off roller 13, prevent the paper strip from curling around the pull-off roller 13 on the upward movement of the arms 28.

The pull-off roller 13 is eccentrically mounted on studs 50. supported in blocks 51 slidable in slots 52 of the supporting arms 28; and connected by an integral shaft 50 eccentric to the studs; and springs 53, adjustable by means of screws 54 carried by the end caps 55, press the blocks 51 towards the pull-oft roller 12, thervbytending to keep the pull-off roller 13 in feeding position in contact with paper on the pull-off roller 12. On the rearward stud 50, shown at the top of Fig. 2, is mounted a knock-out arm 56, and on the forward stud 50 is mounted a knock-in arm 57. By turning the arm 56 into the position 56, through the are indicated by arrows in Fig. 3, the pull-off roller 13, being eccentrically mounted on the studs 50, is swung into its extreme position shown by the dash-dot lines in which the space between the rollers 12 and 13 is such that the paper is freed and stops feeding. In swinging the pull-off roller 13 into the non-feeding position, theknock-out arm 56 is turned into position 56 against a stop 58, from which it must be returned to its normal position in which the arm 57 rest-s against the stop 58, in order to re-start thefeed of the paper.

The articles 59 to be wrapped are delivered, by an endless belt, or by hand, onto a sliding conveyor 60 which receives reciprocating motion through a connecting rod 61 and lever 62 from the main drive shaft 48 of the packaging machine.,-, The conveyor 60 is provided with a number of stepped platforms, and the article 59 is advanced one step at every forward stroke of the slide. Pawls 63, pivoted on bolts 64 carried on arms 65 mounted on shafts 66 supported in the frame 4, are raised a small amount, adjustably by means of screws 67, by the passing article and drop down behind it after it has passed, thus preventing the article from being dragged backwards when the slide. 66 recedes on its return stroke.

011 its forward stroke on the slide 60, the article 59 passes underneath a feeler 68 which is pivoted on a shaft 69 mounted in the frame 4, and has integral with it, or turning with it on the same pivot, a dog 70. The feeler 68 acts in connection with a tripping device operated from an open cam 47 through a lever 71 pivoted on a stud carried by a bracket 72, and through a connecting rod 73. The latter actuates a lever 74 pivoted on a post 75 attached to the base 5. ()n the lever 74 is mounted the upright 76 carrying a latch 77 so arranged that it.

will support the dog 70 of the feeler 68 from the time, the latter leaves one article to the time it rests on the next article in succession, and will engage in locked position the dog 70 when the same is held in raised position by a passing article after it cle under the feeler. The lever 74 is connected through a rod 78 with a lever 79 mounted on a shaft 80 which is supported by hearing brackets 81. The shaft 80 also carries a lever 82 connected through a rod 83 with a.v lever 84 which is mounted on a shaft 85 supported by bearing brackets 86. On the shaft 80 is mounted a tripper 87, and on the shaft 85 is mounted a tripper 88. The trippers 87 and 88 carry adjustably mounted studs 89 and 90, respectively.

When the latch 77 is disengaged the cam 47, through the lever 71, which is held in engagement therewith by means of a spring 91,

' 'trippers 87 and 88 the-required amplitude to and through. the connecting rod 73, imparts reciprocatin movement to the lever 74,

thereby giving, through the rod 78 and the lever 79, oscillating motion to the shaft 80 .which, in turn, rocks the tripper 87 and stud 89, and, by setting the shaft 85 into oscillation, through the lever 82, connecting rod 83 and lever 84, also rocks the tripper 88 and stud 90. The rocking motion of the trippers 87 and 88 coincides with the swing of thc pull-off roller 13; and the track of the cam 47 is so designed as to give the swing of the engage the levers 56 and 57 of the pull-oil roller 13 in the two extreme positions of-t-hc rocking motion.

If there is no article 'on the first step of the slide 60 when it passes under the feeler 68, or if thereafter there is a break in the succession of articles advanced by the conveyor, the latch 77 of the lever 74 swings clear of the dog 70, or misses it, permitting the lever 71 to engage the cam 47, thereby causing the lever 74 to actuate the trippers 87 and 88. Thus, when the feed arms 28 swing upwardly, the tripper 88 engages the knock-out arm 56 and, by throwing the latter, stops the, paper feed. As' soon as an article enters the slide 60 and passes, under the feeler 68, however, the dog 70 will lift the latch 77 which, since the lever 74 carrying the same is still in reciprocating motion, will slide from the dog 7 O and drop to a position on the same level with it, so that, on the return stroke of the lever 74, the latch 77 will collide with the dog 70 and will thus stop the motion of the lever 74, thereby causing disengagement of the lever 71 and cam 47. Under these conditions, the tripper 87 will be in such a position that, when the arms 28 ascend, the tripper stud 89 will engage the knock-in arm 57 and, by turning the latter, will restart the paper feed.

, Thus, the feeler and its operative connections will incapacitate the paper feeding devices when a break occurs in the succession of articles passing through the device and will immediately thereafter rehabilitate them. 8

What is claimed is: 1. The combination with devices for continuously feeding wrapping paper from a roll and intermittentlly delivering it into position to be assembled with articles to. be wirapped, of mechanism for advancing a succession of articles at regular intervals to said position, and means having a movable controlling feeler in the path of the articles and operative to automatically incapacitate said devices when a break occurs in said succession and to rehabilitate the same immediately thereafter.

2. The combination with devices for continuously feeding wrapping paper from a roll and intermittently delivering it into position to be assembled with articles to be wrapped, of mechanism for advancing a succession of articles at regular intervals to said position, and means having a movable tinuously 'feeding'wrapping paper from a 'roll and intermlttently delivering it into position to beassembled with articles to be wrapped, of mechanism for advancing a succession of articles at regular intervals to said position, and means having a movable controlling feeler in the path of the articles and operative to automatically incapacitate said devices 'when a break occurs in said succession and to rehabilitate the same immediately thereafter, said devices including operative connections, oscillating arms, and coacting pull-off rollers carried by said arms and separated by said means during a break only.

4. The combination with devices for continuously feeding wrapping paper from a roll and" intermittently delivering it into position to be assembled with articles to be wrapped, of mechanism for advancing a succession of articles at regular intervals to said position, and means having a movable controlling feeler in the path of the articles and operative to automatically-incapacitate said devices when a break occurs in said succession and to rehabilitate the same immediately thereafter, said devices including operative connections, oscillating arms, a driving pull-off roller carried by said arms near their free ends, blocks slidable in said arms nearertheirfree ends, a spring-pressed pull-off roller eccentrically mounted in said blocks and normally held in paper feeding contact with said driving roller and moved away therefrom by said means during a break only. I

5. The co'mbinatonwith devices for continuously feeding wrapping paper from a roll and intermittently delivering it into position to be assembled with articles to be wrapped, of mechanism for advancing a succession of articles at regular intervals to said position, and means. having a movable controlling feeler in the path of the articles and operative to automatically incapacitate said devices when a break occurs in said succession and to rehabilitate the same immediately thereafter, said mechanism including operative connections, and a stepped slide reciprocating towards and away from paper fed by said devices to said'position.

6. The combination with devices for continuously feeding wrapping paper from a roll and intermittently delivering it into position to be assembled with articles to be wrapped, of mechanism for advancing a succession of articles at regular intervals to said position, andmeans having a movable controlling feeler in the path of the articles and operative to automatically incapacitate said devices when a break occurs in said succession and to rehabilitate the same im mediately thereafter, said mechanism including operative connections, a stepped slide reciprocating towards and away from paper fed by said devices to said position, and pawls engaging articles in said mechanism and preventing them from moving backward during return movements-of said slide.

7. The combination with devices for continuously feeding wrapping paper from a 'roll and intermittently delivering it into position to be assembled with articles to be wrapped, of mechanism for advancing a succession of articles at regular intervals to said position, and means having a movable controlling feeler in the path of the articles and operative to automatically incapacitate said devices when a break occurs in said succession and to rehabilitate the same im mediately thereafter, said means including a dog movable with said feeler, a latch engaging said dog during a break but missing it otherwise, and operative connections.

8. The combination with devices for continuously feeding wrapping paper from a roll and intern'uttently delivering it into position to be assembled with articles to be wrapped, of mechanism for advancing a succession of articles at regular intervals to said position, and means having a movable controlling feeler in the path of the articles and operative to automatically incapacitate said devices when a break occurs in said succession and to rehabilitate the. same imbut missing it otherwise, and operative coni nect-ions.

9. The combination with devices for continuously feeding wrapping paper from a roll and intermittently delivering it into position to be assembled-with articles to be wrapped, of mechanism for advancing a succession of articles at regular intervals to said position, and means having a movable controlling feeler in the path of the articles and operative to automatically incapacitate said devices when a break occurs in said succession and to rehabilitate the same immediately thereafter, said means including trip-' pers controlled by said feeler and engaging said devices during a break but missing them otherwise, and operative connections.

10. The combination with devices for continuous] feeding wrapping paper from a roll an intermittently delivering it into position to be assembled with articles to be wrapped, of mechanism for advancing a succession of articles at regular intervals to said position, and means having a movable controlling feeler in the path of the articles and operative to automatically incapacitate said devices when a break occurs in said succession and to rehabilitate the same immediatelythereafter, said means including camactuated trippers controlled by said feeler and engaging said devices during a break but missing them otherwise, and operative.

connections.

11. The combmatlon with devices for continuously feeding wrapping paper from a roll and intermittently delivering it into position to be assembled with articles to be wrapped, of mechanism for advancing ztsuccession of articles at regular intervals to said position, and means having a movable controlling feeler in the path of the articles and operative to automatically incapacitate said devices when a break occurs in said succession and to rehabilitate the same immediroll and intermittently delivering it into position to be assembled with articles to be Wrapped, of mechanism for advancing a succession of articles at regular intervals to said position, and means having a movable controlling feeler in the path of the articles and operative to automatically incapacitate said devices when a break occurs in said succession and to rehabilitate the same immediately thereafter, said devices including operative connections and coacting pull-o'fl' rollers, and said means including a dog movable with said feeler, a latch engaging said dog during a break but missing it otherwise, and trippers controlled by the action of said dog and separating said pull-off rollers only when said latch engages said dog, and operative connections.

blocks and normally held in paper feed 10 relationship with said driving roller, an means for incapacitating said devices to stop paper feeding without stopping said driving roller. 7

In testimony whereof, I have signed my 15 name to this specification.

FRANK B. SCHMITT. 

